Mini Calzones - Don't Try This at Home!

"Flops are a part of life's menu, and I've never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses."  Rosalind Russell

Try and try again is one of my mottoes.  This recipe will need some revisions but I wanted to post it  to give you inspiration and to applaud those cooks out there that consistently are able to create a dish and make it look gorgeous.    Frankly, I don't think they exist.  I just know that if I had quit after my first flop I would not be the cook I am today.  Just like anything else, practice makes perfect (or edible).

These mini calzones were definitely an experiment.  I love calzones but have never tried to make them.  There's always a first time for everything!  I won't post the actual recipe but give you the ingredients for the filling.  That was the good part!  I regretfully used a store bought pizza dough that comes in a roll like cookies, if you know what I mean.  I recommend either making your own or purchase dough from your favorite pizzeria or Italian restaurant.  So, with that said, here is the filling.

Ingredients:

3 Italian sausages (removed from casing and crumbled)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder, or fresh
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 T fresh basil, chopped
1 c marinara, use your favorite
1 c loosely packed spinach
1 c grated mozzarella cheese

The filling

Brown the meat first and then add all the ingredients except for the cheese.  I rolled out my pizza dough and wanted to make mini (finger food size) calzones.  I recommend making them larger since it is easier to fill and fold over,  etc.  A good size of each dough piece might be a 4-5 inch square. 

Place a tablespoon of the sausage mixture in the lower corner, add the same amount of cheese and fold into a triangle shape.  Crimp the edges and place on a baking sheet.  I baked mine for about 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees.  Next time I will increase the temp to 400.  There will be a next time because they really weren't as bad as I make it sound.  Hey, it's finger food!  As my husband so graciously remarked,  "If you put these on a platter in front of a bunch of guys watching the game, they would be devoured!".

The moral of this experiment is something we've always told our son when he seems so hard on himself.  These are words we try to live up to, also.   There will always be people better off than you and worst off than you, always  strive to be the best YOU that you can be!

Maybe I need to go to that Italian cooking school in Italy after all!